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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the third-largest school district in the United States, serving over 340,000 students in 600+ schools and employing nearly 36,000 people, most of them teachers.  CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life.  In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity.  Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Juvenile Justice (JJ) Team is part of the Office of Student Support Engagement, which aims to overcome barriers to school engagement, particularly with the district’s highest-need and most disadvantaged students. The program offered by the Juvenile Justice Team is intended to ensure the successful transition of court-involved students to CPS district and options schools.  The goal is for arrested and detained students to return to school via a process where they feel safe, welcomed, engaged, and supported; and for schools to feel ready, prepared, and capable of integrating them back into the school community.

The Restorative Re-Entry Coordinator will work with the Juvenile Justice Team in the Office of Student Support Engagement, the Office of Social Emotional Learning, and schools/networks to design and drive the implementation of restorative re-entry protocols and practices at Chicago Public Schools. Re-entry practices are applicable to students returning to school after periods of incarceration/detention, suspension/expulsion, dropout, hospitalization, safety transfer, and other significant absences or transitions. As the schools targeted by this program serve a large number of youth who were previously-detained or incarcerated, this position will work to ensure that these schools are well-equipped with the internal and external resources to support the specific educational and socio-emotional needs of these students. The Restorative Re-Entry Coordinator will work closely with school leaders, teachers, support staff, and agency partners to develop capacity at the school level, model, guide, provide feedback, track progress, and troubleshoot implementation challenges as schools execute and integrate re-entry processes with existing or emerging teaming structures (including Behavioral Health Teams).   This position will report to the Juvenile Justice Manager.

The Restorative Re-Entry Coordinator will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with the Juvenile Justice Reengagement Team to develop new and restorative approaches to supporting the transition back to school for youth who have been out of school because they were detained or incarcerated.
• Support school teams in designing and implementing re-entry protocols that provide an organized, consistent, and restorative process for students re-entering school after detention or other significant absence/transition 
• Revise existing, and create new training materials for re-entry protocols and re-entry circles/circles of support
• Guide development of school-specific policies and practices for enrolling, scheduling, integrating, grading, and providing academic, behavioral, and wrap-around supports for re-entering students
• Develop policies and alternative approaches to student behavior that focus on reducing harm and increasing youth engagement in school.
• Facilitate re-entry best-practice sharing across schools
• Guide schools in the efficient use of resources to support high-need students’ retention, attendance, conduct, and progress toward graduation
• Provide training to network and school teams, coach school leadership and staff, and provide on-site support for students and schools 
• Coach, model, and provide feedback/support to school teams on re-entry processes
• Work with Behavioral Heath/CARE/Student Support Teams at schools to ensure effective referral and tracking systems of re-entry students
• Develop and implement systems and templates for communication with staff, families, and students
• Establish tracking mechanisms to evaluate protocol step completion and student progress
• Create and monitor agreements for student support plans and follow-ups
• Survey key stakeholders for feedback on re-entry successes and challenges
• Provide regular updates on school readiness, progress, and needs in supporting re-entering students
• Build and maintain strong relationships and joint strategies with leaders in OSEL, OSSE, and Networks
• Support Principals and other leaders at schools in building a cultural shift in their schools, including a focus on student behavioral needs and restorative practices.
• Develop and maintain strong, empathetic relationships with school leaders and staff (including counselors and teachers at CPS schools), students and their families. 
• Manage time and multi-faceted projects effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate and address social service and other needs of at-risk students, and coordinate efforts of service providers and community organizations.
• Other duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Restorative Re-Entry Coordinator must possess the following qualifications: 

Type of Education Required: 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required 
• Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work, Counseling, Law, or related field preferred

Experience Required: 

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience working with adolescents in an educational, advocacy, or social service setting. 
• Minimum of 2 years of project management experience, including experience working on projects involving shifts in adult behaviors, attitudes, and practices
• Experience evaluating and meeting the social service needs of juvenile offenders and coordinating efforts of various social service, health, and community organizations preferred
• Experience working with court-involved youth, or young people who are gang-affiliated preferred
• Experience in a supervisory position with responsibility for leading and evaluating the performance of direct reports is highly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Strong understanding of adult behavior change and effective responses  to resistance, skepticism, and diverging interests
• Thorough knowledge of restorative justice and school climate culture best practices, including development of curricula and training
• Committed to social justice and public schooling; solid understanding of the ethical and legal implications of this work
• High levels of integrity, honesty, personal accountability, and respect for the rights of students and families, including the need for confidentiality
• Strong leadership and team building skills, e.g. ability to develop high performing teams united around a clear vision for serving schools and achieving student success
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Capable of working with minimal supervision outside of a formalized office setting.
• Able to work flexible hours as needed to attend evening meetings, and to meet the needs of schools and families
• Skilled multi-tasker capable of prioritizing tasks and projects, driving them to completion amidst change and challenging conditions

Other requirements:

• Access to transportation to travel to other sites is required
• Valid Driver’s License and vehicle access preferred 

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:  

• Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency- Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. 
• Be Fully Vaccinated or Submit to Weekly COVID-19 Testing- Employees are required to be fully vaccinated within 30 days of their hire date. Full vaccination is defined as at least two weeks after your second shot of a two-shot vaccination course, or at least two weeks after a one-shot vaccination course. Unvaccinated staff must submit to weekly testing.